qtr_01

09
A quarterly publication
boeing.com/commercial/
aeromagazine

Lifecycle Solutions

Reducing
Smoke and
Burning
Odor Events

Flight Crew
Response to
In-Flight Smoke,
Fire, or Fumes

Integrated IT
for Improved
Airplane Support

E-Enabled
Capabilities of the
787 Dreamliner

AERO
Cover photo: Radome of a Next-Generation 737.
AERO Contents

03 03
Lifecycle Solutions
Boeing provides aftermarket products
and support to maximize the value
of customers’ in-service fleets over their
entire lifecycle.

07
07 Reducing Smoke and
Burning Odor Events
Fleetwide studies help operators reduce
smoke and burning order events.

11
Flight Crew Response to In-Flight
Smoke, Fire, or Fumes

11 A new checklist template standardizes

and optimizes pilot response to
non-alerted events.

15
Integrated IT for Improved
Airplane Support
Boeing assists airlines in expanding
their use of information technology for
improved maintenance, engineering,

15 and flight operations.

22
E-Enabled Capabilities
of the 787 Dreamliner
E-Enabled tools on the 787 will provide

22 quicker access to quality information and

create a new level of situational awareness.

01
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine Issue 33_Quarter 01 | 2009
AERO
Publisher Design Cover photography Editorial Board
Shannon Frew Methodologie Jeff Corwin Gary Bartz, Frank Billand, Richard Breuhaus, Darrell Hokuf, Al John,
Doug Lane, Jill Langer, Mick Pegg, Wade Price, Bob Rakestraw,
Editorial director Writer Printer
Frank Santoni, Jerome Schmelzer, Paul Victor, Constantin Zadorojny
Jill Langer Jeff Fraga ColorGraphics
Technical Review Committee
Editor-in-chief Distribution manager Web site design
Gary Bartz, Frank Billand, Richard Breuhaus, David Carbaugh,
Jim Lombardo Nanci Moultrie Methodologie
Justin Hale, Darrell Hokuf, Al John, Doug Lane, Jill Langer, David Palmer,
Mick Pegg, Wade Price, Jerome Schmelzer, William Tsai, Paul Victor,
Constantin Zadorojny

AERO Online
www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine

AERO magazine is published quarterly by Boeing Commercial Airplanes and is
distributed at no cost to operators of Boeing commercial airplanes. AERO provides
operators with supplemental technical information to promote continuous safety
and efficiency in their daily fleet operations.
The Boeing Company supports operators during the life of each Boeing commercial
airplane. Support includes stationing Field Service representatives in more than
60 countries, furnishing spare parts and engineering support, training flight crews
and maintenance personnel, and providing operations and maintenance publications.
Boeing continually communicates with operators through such vehicles as technical
meetings, service letters, and service bulletins. This assists operators in addressing
regulatory requirements and Air Transport Association specifications.
Copyright © 2009 The Boeing Company
Information published in AERO magazine is intended to be accurate and authoritative.
However, no material should be considered regulatory-approved unless specifically stated.
Airline personnel are advised that their company’s policy may differ from or conflict with
information in this publication. Customer airlines may republish articles from AERO
without permission if for distribution only within their own organizations. They thereby
assume responsibility for the current accuracy of the republished material. All others
must obtain written permission from Boeing before reprinting any AERO article.
Print copies of AERO are not available by subscription, but the publication may be
viewed on the Web at www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine.
Please send address changes to me.boeing@boeing.com. Please send all other
communications to AERO Magazine, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707,
MC 21-72, Seattle, Washington, 98124‑2207, USA.
E-mail: WebMaster.BCA@boeing.com

AERO is printed on Forest Stewardship Council Certified paper containing

10% post-consumer waste.

02
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Lifecycle Solutions for
Lifetime Relationships
Lou Mancini
Vice President and General Manager
Boeing Commercial Aviation Services
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
Last November, I had the pleasure of meeting with
some of you, our valued customers, at a Boeing
Customer Support Executive Symposium in Long
Beach, California. We hold these symposiums every
year in different regions of the world. It is our chance,
as the leaders of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services,
to talk to our airline customers about issues affecting
the industry and the continued safe and efficient
operation of the in-service Boeing fleet.
At the November meeting, I reiterated our Customer Support
commit­ment to providing aftermarket Customer support spans all the services
products and support that maximize the that we provide as part of your purchase
value of your Boeing fleet over its entire of a Boeing airplane. But it goes beyond
lifecycle. These “Lifecycle Solutions” the maintenance and flight documents, the
represent a 20- to 30-year commitment Web portal MyBoeingFleet.com, and field
that begins with the acquisition of an sup­port. It’s about helping you day in and
airplane and continues throughout its day out to get the most of your asset in
operation, mainte­nance, and modification, terms of reliability, availability, and, of
and doesn’t end until the airplane is course, safety. It includes our Operations
eventually transitioned out of service. Center, which is a 24-hour-a-day oper­
Lifecycle Solutions center around five ation, available seven days a week to
capabilities to help you be successful: answer your urgent service requests.
customer support, materials optimization,
operational performance, training, and
fleet enhancements.
03
 Blended winglets offer customers operational benefits, such as more efficient flight characteristics in cruise
and during takeoff and climbout, which translate into additional range with the same fuel and payload.
(Blended Winglet™ technology is provided by Aviation Partners Boeing—a joint venture of Aviation
Partners, Inc., and The Boeing Company.)

04
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Boeing’s “Lifecycle Solutions” represent a 20- to 30-year commitment to
the customer that begins with the acquisition of an airplane and continues
throughout its operation, maintenance, and modification, and doesn’t end
until the airplane is eventually transitioned out of service.

Customer Materials Operational Training Fleet

Support Optimization Performance Enhancements

Lifecycle Solutions for improved operational and environmental performance

Materials Optimization
Materials optimization is about providing
you with the right spare part at the right
place at the right time. We do that through
quick transactions or long-term supply
management agreements, such as the
Landing Gear Exchange, Component
Services Program, and Integrated Materials
Management. Our goal is to help you
reduce your inventory and logistics footprint
so that you can operate more efficiently
and competitively.
flight planning, and crew scheduling. Many Whether you choose one or a combi­
of these solutions have a positive effect on nation of our Lifecycle Solutions, our focus
the environment. is on helping you get the maximum value
from your Boeing investment through­out
Training its entire lifecycle. It’s part of our decades-
To ensure that you are qualified and ready long commitment to you when you buy a
to operate your Boeing fleet, we provide Boeing airplane.
world-class flight and maintenance training.
We view training as integral to all we do,
which is why we recently centralized our
training units within Boeing Commercial
Airplanes to serve you even better.

Operational Performance
We also offer commercial products in the
areas of flight, maintenance, and engineer­
ing to help you optimize the efficiency of
your Boeing asset. These products include
Airplane Health Management, Electronic
Flight Bag, Maintenance Performance
Toolbox, Required Navigation Performance,
Lou Mancini
Fleet Enhancements
Vice President and General Manager
Another way to boost the productivity
Boeing Commercial Aviation Services
and value of your Boeing fleet is by taking
advantage of modifications, retrofits, and
upgrades. These include Boeing Converted
Freighters, blended winglets, new-look
interiors, the 777 Performance Improve­
ment Package, and carbon brake retrofits.

05
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Model-specific service
letters present root
causes and potential
solutions for the most
common SBO events.

06
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Reducing Smoke and
Burning Odor Events
At the recommendation of operators, Boeing has undertaken studies of smoke
and burning odor (SBO) events occurring on airplanes. The studies provide fleetwide
information so that operators can take steps to reduce SBO events.

By James A. Holley,  Service Engineer

Although most SBO events in the pressur­
ized area of an airplane are resolved and
rarely affect continued safe flight, landing,
or egress, they are always significant issues
with operational consequences. These con­
sequences can include flight cancel­lations,
flight schedule disruptions, air turnbacks,
and airplane diversions. SBO events can
also result in declared emergencies,
airport emergency equipment responses,
airplane evacuations, accommodations for
displaced passengers, diminished goodwill,
and extensive unscheduled maintenance
following non-normal procedures, such as
overweight landing inspection, recharging
of oxygen, and repacking of escape slides.
In an effort to provide information that
can help operators take steps to reduce
SBO events, Boeing launched a series of
ongoing studies of these events on Next-
Generation 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777
airplane models. This article explains the
scope of the studies and describes how
the analysis is conducted, how the results
are communicated, and how the results
may be used. It also describes the use of
an oil leak detection kit to assist ground
crews in isolating the source of odors and
provides an overview of appropriate flight
crew response to SBO events.
SBO studies initiated in 2004
Since 2004, Boeing has been examining
events in which human senses detect a
condition inside the pressurized area of an
airplane that may result in a conclusion that
there is a potentially dangerous ignition
source or atmospheric contamination
present that needs immediate corrective
action. The studies exclude human visual
or aural detection of automated alarms.

07
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Figure 1: Service letters on SBO events
MODEL Service Letter
737 737-SL-00-023-A
747 747-SL-00-023-A
757 757-SL-00-018-A
767 767-SL-00-019-A
777 777-SL-00-012-A
The SBO studies are ongoing investi­
gations involving the models cited on the
previous page, with reports released at least
annually through updated model-specific
service letters titled “Smoke and Burning
Odor (SBO) Event Summary” (Air Transport
Association of America [ATA] Chapter
0000-80). The reports address all SBO
events reported to Boeing for the period
identified in the service letter (see fig. 1).
root causes of SBO events
SBO events were analyzed to determine
the root cause for each event. Root cause
was identified (when possible) down to the
component level. Available potential correc­
tive or preventive actions were correlated
to the root causes and included in the
service letters. Only the top root causes
that account for approximately 30 percent
of all the reported SBO events are correlated
to corrective or preventive action.
The results of the studies were provided
to operators in service letters that graph­
ically show the predominant root causes
(iden­tified by root cause code [RCC] and
description), as well as the occurence
count of the SBO event (see fig. 2).
08
Because not all SBO events are reported
to Boeing, the number of occurrences in
figure 2 should be treated on a relative
basis. Each root cause is further broken
down by an operational impact category,
such as delay, diversion, or airplane on
ground. Only the predominant root causes
are shown in the chart. As a result, not all
operational impact categories appear in
figure 2. Also, events of undetermined root
causes are excluded.
Suggested operator action
Operators can use the data provided in the
associated service letters to initiate action at
their discretion to reduce the occurrences
of SBO events.
The information provided in the service
letters is intended for maintenance oper­
ations. Flight crew response to in-flight
smoke, fire, and fumes is addressed
separately in the accompanying article
“Flight Crew Response to In-Flight Smoke,
Fire, or Fumes” on page 11.
IDENTIFICATION OF ODOR SOURCE
Most operators would like to locate and
stop the cause of the odor, which is often
reported as an oil smell or aerosol odor. It
can be difficult to identify the odor source,
and troubleshooting can result in long
Service letters addressing the issue of SBO events
can be accessed through the Web portal
MyBoeingFleet.com. Note: McDonnell-Douglas
models are not included in the SBO study;
however, similar service letters have been
published for these models and are referred to as
“smoke in the cabin.”
airplane downtime and unnecessary engine
or auxiliary power unit (APU) changes.
In response, Boeing has developed an
oil detection kit that can be used to quickly
identify the source of oil leaks or aerosol
odors. The kit includes a bleed air sampler
and portable infrared spectrometer. Ground
crews connect the air sampler to the 3-inch
pneumatic ground cart connector and
run engine or APU bleed air through the
sampler for 10 minutes. The spectrometer
and a laptop computer are used to analyze
the sample. The kit’s software alerts the
user when the sample matches a known
contaminant, such as oil or hydraulic fluid.
The oil detection kit works for all
Boeing models except the 787 and on
all McDonnell-Douglas airplanes. The kit
may be ordered online at the Web portal
MyBoeingFleet.com by requesting part
number J21009.
Summary
SBO events can result in expensive
operational interruptions. Boeing publishes
the most significant root causes for SBO
events and correlates these to potential
corrective or preventive action in model-
specific service letters.
For more information, please
contact James Holley at james.a.holley@
boeing.com. 
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Figure 2: Study results for a given airplane model n Undetermined  
Root cause codes (RCCs) and operational impacts
n  Minimal Interruption  
of SBO events reported for the 757,
n  Delay  
July 2004 – August 2008.
n  Cancellation / Out of Service  
n  Air Turnback  
n  Diversion
n  Airplane on Ground

RCC 212.001
Recirculation Fan

RCC 790.001
Engine Oil — Over-Servicing

RCC 215.005
Equipment Cooling Fan

RCC 720.001
Engine Fault — Air Supply Contamination

RCC 561.001
Window Anti-Ice Circuit

RCC 490.001
APU Fault — Air Supply Contamination

RCC 710.001
External Element Ingestion —
Air Supply Contamination

RCC 233.001
Overhead Video Monitor Unit

RCC 243.004
Static Inverter

RCC 253.004
Galley Oven

RCC 215.002
Air Cycle Machine

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22

Number of occurrences

09
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Flight crews worldwide
now have a single
integrated checklist
that can be used for all
non-alerted events.

10
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Flight Crew Response
to In-Flight Smoke, Fire,
or Fumes
Smoke, fire, or fume (SFF) events can occur suddenly in commercial airplanes. Yet
information about the source of the event may be vague, incomplete, inaccurate, or
contradictory. Additionally, there is a wide range of possible sources and situations.

By William A. McKenzie,  Flight Crew Procedures Manager

Historically, airlines have provided flight
crews with checklists to help them identify
and deal with smoke, fire, and fumes. Until
recently, manufacturer and airline checklists
varied in format and content. In response
to this situation, Boeing worked together
with airlines, pilots, and other manufactur­
ers to develop a philosophy and a checklist
template to standardize and optimize flight
crew responses to non-alerted SFF events
(i.e., events not annunciated to the flight
crew by onboard detection systems).
These efforts have produced a set of
new, industry standard procedures that:
n Define a common approach for manu­
facturers and airlines to take when
developing checklists.
n Define a common set of actions for
pilots to expect across multiple models.
n Create an SFF checklist template that
addresses key issues that were widely
divergent in the industry.
Providing the best possible
crew guidance
The objective of the checklist template is
to pro­vide the best possible crew guidance
for managing in-flight SFF events while
acknowledging that every SFF situation
is different.
As a result, flight crews worldwide now
have a single integrated checklist that can
be used across all non-alerted SFF events
(see fig. 1). The guidance provided by the
new template addresses:
n SFF source identification.
n Actions to perform regardless of source.
n Crew communication.
n Timing for diversion and landing
initiation.
n Smoke or fumes removal.
n Additional actions to perform if smoke
persists.
n Loss of capability and operational
consequences.

11
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Figure 1: Smoke, fire, or fumes (SFF) checklist template
Boeing used this template to develop new SFF checklists for all passenger models of the 737,747,757,767, and 777 airplanes and is in the process of
developing and evaluating similar checklists for the MD-80, MD-90, 717, MD-10, and MD-11 airplanes. The template is designed to be used by all
manufacturers and operators to standardize and optimize flight crew responses to non-alerted SFF events.

Step Action response

1  Diversion may be required.

2 Oxygen masks (if required) On, 100%

3 Smoke goggles (if required) On

4 Crew and cabin communications Establish

5 Manufacturer’s initial steps Accomplish

Anytime smoke or fumes become the greatest threat, accomplish separate Smoke or Fumes Removal Checklist.
6 Source is immediately obvious and can be extinguished quickly:

If yes    go to Step 7.

If no      go to Step 9.

7 Extinguish the source.

If possible, remove power from affected equipment by switch or circuit breaker
on the flight deck or in the cabin.

8 Source is visually confirmed to be extinguished:

If yes    consider reversing manufacturer’s initial steps. Go to Step 17.

If no      go to Step 9.

9 Remaining minimal essential manufacturer’s action steps Accomplish

[These are steps that do not meet the“initial steps” criteria but are probable sources.]

10 Initiate a diversion to the nearest suitable airport while continuing the checklist.

Warning: If the smoke / fire / fumes situation becomes unmanageable, consider an immediate landing.

11 Landing is imminent:

If yes    go to Step 16.

If no      go to Step 12.

12 “X” system actions Accomplish

[These are further actions to control / extinguish source.] If dissipating, go to Step 16.

13 “Y” system actions Accomplish

[These are further actions to control / extinguish source.] If dissipating, go to Step 16.

14 “Z” system actions Accomplish

[These are further actions to control / extinguish source.] If dissipating, go to Step 16.

15 SFF continues after all system-related steps are accomplished:

Consider landing immediately.
Go to Step 16.

16 Review Operational Considerations.

17 Accomplish Smoke or Fumes Removal Checklist, if required.

18 Checklist complete.

12
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
industry consensus regarding
SFF events
The Flight Safety Foundation sponsored
this international industry initiative to
improve checklist procedures for airline
pilots confronting smoke, fire, or fumes.
It also published the Smoke/Fire/Fumes
Philosophy and Definitions, which was
used to construct the SFF checklist
template. Here are the key components
of this philosophy.
General
n The entire crew must be part of the
solution.
n For any smoke event, time is critical.
n The SFF checklist template:
n Does not replace alerted checklists
(e.g., cargo smoke) or address
multiple events.
n Includes considerations to support
decisions for immediate landing (e.g.,
overweight landing, tailwind landing,
ditching, forced off-airport landing).
n Systematically identifies and
eliminates an unknown SFF source.
n At the beginning of an SFF event, the
crew should consider all of the following:
n Protecting themselves (e.g., oxygen
masks, smoke goggles).
n Communication (e.g., crew, air
traffic control).
n Diversion.
n Assessing the SFF situation and
available resources.
Source elimination
n It should be assumed pilots may not
always be able to accurately identify the
smoke source due to ambiguous cues.
n It should be assumed alerted-smoke-
event checklists have been accom­plished
but the smoke’s source may not have
been eliminated.
n Rapid extinguishing or elimination of the
source is the key to preventing escalation
of the event.
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
n Manufacturer’s initial steps that remove Additional steps for source elimination
the most probable smoke or fume n Additional steps aimed at source
sources and reduce risk must be imme­ identification and elimination:
diately available to the crew. These n Are subsequent to the manufacturer’s
steps are developed by the manufacturer initial steps and the diversion decision.
and typically have the pilot turn off com­ n Are accomplished as time and
ponents or systems having the highest conditions permit, and should not
probability of addressing a smoke/fire/ delay landing.
fume source. These steps should be n Are based on model-specific
determined by model-specific historical historical data or analysis.
data or analysis.
n Initial steps for source elimination:
Checklists for Boeing airplanes
n Should be quick, simple, and
reversible.
Boeing has used this new template
n Will not make the situation worse or
to develop a combined checklist that
inhibit further assessment of the
addresses electrical smoke, air-conditioning
situation.
smoke, cabin smoke, and fumes.
n Do not require analysis by the crew.
In 2007, Boeing published new Airplane
Flight Manual and Quick Reference Hand­
Timing for diversion/landing
book checklists for all passenger models of
n Crews should anticipate diversion as
the 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777. Boeing is
soon as an SFF event occurs and
in the process of developing and evaluating
should be reminded in the checklist
similar checklists for the MD-80, MD-90,
to consider a diversion.
717, MD-10, and MD-11 airplanes.
n After the initial steps, the checklist
should direct diversion unless the SFF
source is positively identified, confirmed Summary
to be extinguished, and smoke or fumes
are dissipating. By working through a logical checklist,
n The crew should consider an immediate flight crews can better isolate the cause
landing anytime the situation cannot of SFF events and take appropriate action.
be controlled. For more information, please contact
Bill McKenzie at william.a.mckenzie@
Smoke or fumes removal boeing.com. 
n The decision to remove smoke or fumes
must be made based upon the threat
being presented to the passengers or
crew.
n Crews should accomplish procedures in
the Smoke or Fumes Removal Checklist
only after the fire has been extinguished
or if the smoke or fumes present the
greatest threat.
n The crew should be directed to return to
the Smoke/Fire/Fumes Checklist after
smoke/fumes removal if the Smoke/Fire/
Fumes Checklist was not completed.
13
 Boeing has developed
a number of e-Enabled
solutions that help airlines
improve their performance
and enhance operational
efficiencies.

14
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Integrated IT for Improved
Airplane Support
By Robert Rencher,  Senior Systems Engineer, Associate Technical Fellow

Airlines throughout the world are expanding their use of information technology (IT)
within their maintenance, engineering, and flight operations organizations. The
use of IT to integrate airline systems is called “e-Enabling.” E-Enabling offers a number
of potential benefits, including greater efficiency and improved airline operations. Boeing
offers several e-Enabled tools and services, as well as the expertise and guidance to
help airlines implement and integrate e-Enabled systems.

As airlines continue to look for efficiencies in
every aspect of their operations, e-Enabling
is being implemented at an increasing
pace. A well-designed information systems
architecture is the foundation for an
e-Enabled airline. This systems architecture
enables the airline to efficiently implement
and maintain integrated business systems.
The results are a substantial improvement
in technical dispatch reliability and a reduc­
tion in maintenance and operations costs.
A key value is the integrated business
process flows and the availability of timely
information for improved decision support
and performance support.
E-Enabled IT systems can take many
forms, from replacing printed manuals and
other documents with electronic versions
to gathering and evaluating in-flight data
on the real-time flying condition of airplanes.
This article discusses the key elements
of an e-Enabled strategy, some of the
e-Enabled tools and services available
from Boeing, Boeing’s e-Enabled system
integration capabilities, and two method­
ologies for assessing airlines’ readiness
for e-Enabling.
Key elements of an e-Enabled
strategy
The e-Enabled environment creates
opportu­nities to establish new business
processes, many of which will become
operationally critical to the airline. As a
result, it is important to have an overall
strategy in place to guide e-Enabling
efforts. Boeing has identified these key
elements of any e-Enabled strategy:
n Define and support an enterprise
systems architecture as a method to
review and simplify business processes
prior to automation.

15
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Figure 1: Elements of real-time visibility into airline operations
Operational efficiency requires system integration throughout an airline’s operations. The e-Enabled system environment integrates this real-time data with the
airline’s maintenance planning systems. The operation of Boeing airplanes creates real-time performance data that is directed to an airline’s maintenance
planning system and reliability system. This integration event enables just-in-time adjustments to planning, record management, and airline cost accounting
with the objective of maintaining an “as-flying” airplane configuration.

Maintenance “As-Flying”
Condition Configuration

Hours, Cycles,
Days, Defects

Maintenance
Records

Reliability Analysis Deferrals

Part Requisition Purchase Order

Repair Order Inventory

Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance

Program Plan Execution

Configuration,
Airworthiness
Directives,Service Work Documents
Bulletins,
Engineering Orders

Aviation Maintenance
Flying Plan Flight Schedule Cost Accounting
Technician Training/Skills

n  Materials Management n  Engineering

n  Records Management n  Finance
n  Reliability Program n  Task Management

16
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
n Establish information management
practices to achieve higher levels of
system integration.
n Identify integration objectives for
organizational, process information,
and IT systems.
n Incorporate historical system use and
planning information to establish busi­
ness function baselines and to project
future system utilization.
n Deliver value through reduced operating
costs, higher efficiency and safety,
better airplane and fleet utilization, and
improved passenger experience.
n Integrate air and ground information
systems to achieve optimal operational
efficiency.
n Establish an IT infrastructure that
supports the operational objectives
of the airline.
e-Enabled tools and services
Boeing developed a number of e-Enabled
solutions that help airlines improve their
performance and enhance operational
efficiencies. Many of these solutions are
designed to help airlines achieve real-time
visibility into all of their operations, including
airplanes in flight (see fig. 1).
Maintenance Performance Toolbox. This
electronic performance support system
provides operators with up-to-date fleet
maintenance information using intelligent
documents and visual navigation methods.
It allows airline operators to stream­line the
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
management and distribution of technical
information, including just-in-time training
at the point of use. Toolbox is designed for
use by technical operations staff respon­
sible for airplane system trouble­shooting,
structural repair record management, parts
manage­ment, task card management,
content authoring, and train­ing. Toolbox
is an online subscription service delivered
via the Web portal MyBoeingFleet.com
and is built on an industry-standard Java 2
Platform, Enterprise Edition, architecture
to ensure maximum security, availability,
reliability, and scalability. (See “Mainte­
nance Performance Toolbox,” AERO
first-quarter 2007.)
Airplane Health Management (AHM). This
online decision support tool, accessible
via MyBoeingFleet.com, allows real-time
monitoring of airplanes during flight. When
faults occur, AHM presents the operator
with probable causes and recommended
actions, including fix effectiveness infor­
mation based on historical data for the
operator and the fleet. When an airplane
arrives at the gate, maintenance crews can
be ready with the parts and information to
quickly make any necessary repairs and
avoid costly delays, cancellations, or air
turn­backs. AHM also enables operators to
identify recurring faults and trends, allowing
airlines to proactively plan future mainte­
nance. (See “Remote Management of
Real-Time Airplane Data,” AERO third-
quarter 2007.)
Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). The EFB is a
general purpose computing platform on
the flight deck integrated with avionics and
communications. EFB software applications
calculate performance figures, display
charts, improve taxi positional awareness,
provide video flight deck entry surveillance,
and allow electronic access to documents.
It is designed to help airlines reduce costs,
improve taxiway and flight deck safety,
and establish convenient access to digital
documents. A software development kit
allows for the development of airline-
specific EFB applications. (See “Electronic
Flight Bag,” AERO second-quarter 2008.)
Electronic Log Book. This application,
which resides both on the airplane and
on multiple ground components, connects
the airplane systems to the airline IT infra­
struc­ture, providing data to the multiple
departments and allowing them to collab­
orate on resolving pilot reports. This
capability helps the airline schedule the
airplane operation so that reported faults
can be resolved during a time when the
airplane is available, reducing costs. It also
allows the implementation of airborne and
ground applications that will enable the
airline to operate more efficiently as a
business. (See “Electronic Flight Bag,”
AERO second-quarter 2008.)
17
 E-Enabled IT systems can take many forms, from replacing
printed manuals and other documents with electronic
versions to gathering and evaluating in-flight data on the
real-time flying condition of airplanes.
e-Enabled system integration
capabilities
While e-Enabling offers airlines many
benefits, it also presents challenges in
terms of integrating the technology into
existing operations.
The e-Enabled environment includes
diverse system types, information sources,
data types, and different owners. The data
originates with different systems within the
airline’s operational areas, and it is shared
within the airline and with airline partners,
suppliers, and Boeing. The diversity in data
types and origins creates challenges for
integration, protection, and lifecycle man­
agement (see fig. 2). Figure 2 represents
a conceptual depiction of information
origination and utilization within the
e-Enabled information architecture.
Airplane information originates with
Boeing and the suppliers to Boeing.
The Boeing data domain is established
as the baseline data set using the
e-Enabled information architecture.
This baseline includes data from the
supplier data domain and design/
manufacturing data from the Boeing
data domain. As the airplane enters
service, the airline is provided this baseline
data set, which is included in the airline
customer data domain. The airplane
onboard data domain collects airplane
operational data for real-time processing
and analysis, and it is transmitted to the
customer data domain for opera­tional
analysis and planning. The maintenance,
repair, and overhaul (MRO) shop data
18
domain includes the mainte­nance planning
data and a record of the maintenance work
performed. The MRO data is provided
n
to the airlines to be included in the airline
data domain. The e-Enabled information
architecture is designed to include data
from all data domains.
The information lifecycle facilitates the
management of data from airplane design,
through the airplane’s operational life to
final disposal of the airplane. Information
protec­tion ensures that proper information
n
access controls are defined, regulatory
require­ments for data retention are in place,
and license restrictions are being followed.
Information management provides the
guidelines for data stewardship, gover­
nance, and quality assurance.
e-Enabled system implementation
n
To determine an airline’s ability to add
e-Enabled capabilities to its operations, it is
important to examine the following five areas:
n Strategy Integration: Enterprise business
strategy is a vision and method to
achieve an important business objective.
Effective strategy is appropriate, clearly
defined, well communicated, and
regularly updated.
n Organization Integration: Organizational
integration is a means to streamline the
decision-making structure and functions
of the business units—reducing cost
and increasing value. Knowledge is
shared between organizations,
contributing to efficient, adaptive, and
timely decision making.
Process Integration: Business process
integration is the barometer for value-
added work. When business process
analysis and improvement activities
are guided by strategic principles from
the business function leaders, work
processes, tasks, and information
requirements mesh smoothly.
Information Integration: Information inte­
gration is the use of a smaller set of data,
information, and knowledge elements to
produce a result of much greater value.
A key measure is how efficiently informa­
tion is reused across business functions,
work processes, and technical systems:
the less redundancy and rework, the
higher the capability.
Systems Integration: This area focuses
on the capability of an airline’s IT team
to establish and manage systems.
“Systems” refers to the set of infor­
mation systems, applications, and data
that support the enterprise business
functions and work processes.
Boeing offers business process
lean analysis and design services that
facilitate improve­ment to these five
integration areas. These airline capability
level (ACL) pro­cess modeling reviews
may encom­pass airport ground,
schedule planning, flight operations,
operations control, facilities, supply
chain, logistics, maintenance and
engineering, and information technology.
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Figure 2: Overview of e-Enabled information architecture
One of the key challenges in an e-Enabled environment is integrating and
managing a variety of information from a number of diverse sources.

Onboard Domain airline Domain

Domain 1 l Domain 1 lll

Data generation supports Data generation supports
information need. information need.

Domain 2 l Domain 2 lll

Information Sharing Information Consumption

n Data n Supports Aircraft Power

n Content Module Function Within

n Loadable Software Airplane Part Business Process
n Software Boeing n Value to the User
Domain

Information Delivery
n Messaging
lllll MRO Domain
n Files

n Web
Information Domain 1 ll
Ownership
n Boeing

n Airline

n Maintenance,
Domain 2 ll
Repair and
Overhaul
(MRO) Shop Supplier Domain l

Information Lifecycle Information Protection Information Management

n Design n Access n Stewardship

n Active Use n Regulatory n Governance

n Retention-Disposal n License Restrictions n Quality Assurance

Information Ownership

l Airline A Data l Airline B Data

l MRO A Data l MRO B Data
l Supplier Data l Boeing Information
 Figure 3: Overview of ACL self-assessment
The ACL self-assessment can help an airline define goals and develop
a roadmap for e-Enabled capability improvement.

Never Often Always

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gather Results Analysis
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

ACL Self-Assessment Tool Scoring Matrices

This survey instrument is designed for airline The scoring matrices represent the survey
executives and senior management. Rating results for airline function and enterprise dimension
questions and open-ended questions are used capability.
to collect survey responses.

Strategy
5

Capability Comparative Analysis Systems 2

Organization
The data enables a comparative analysis
1
of an airline’s enterprise capabilities
(strengths/weaknesses). An airline’s
goals for each dimension are represented
from the planning guide.

Information Process

To Airline To Boeing

Managed
Planning
Survey Business GoldCare ValSim
Guide
Solutions

A survey summary A series of short Boeing’s professional Boeing’s flexible set Airline collaboration
document provides exercises assists the services advise, of 787 Dreamliner solves problems by
airline respondents airline in establishing deploy, train, and support services. eliminating waste and
with a customized dimensional goals support operators and achieving operational
summary of their and developing plans their extended supply efficiency to attain
ACL survey results. to achieve those goals. chain in the evaluation full operational and
and implementation of financial value.
e-Enabled systems.

20
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
By using the ACL self-assessment process and tool set,
an airline can define goals and establish a roadmap for
capability improvement, allowing it to translate IT availability
and performance into competitive advantage, increased
profits, and safety.
Airline Capability Level
Self‑Assessment
To assess their ability to use e-Enabled
products and information, airlines need
to benchmark their enterprise strategy,
process, and information integration
capability levels against those of industry
leaders. ACL process modeling reviews,
developed by Boeing, can help airlines in
this assess­ment. The reviews encompass
airport ground, schedule planning, flight
operations, operations control, facilities,
supply chain, logistics, maintenance,
engineering, and IT.
By using the ACL self-assessment
process and tool set, an airline can define
goals and establish a roadmap for
capability improvement, allowing it to
translate IT availability and performance
into competitive advantage, increased
profits, and safety (see fig. 3).
The ACL approach uses a survey, self-
administered by airline executives, and
applies the results through a series of
planning guide exercises to provide an
understanding of current and future
capability needs. The airline can use this
information to begin planning to resolve
gaps between its present capability level
and the level it would like to achieve.
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
The results and conclusions provide the
starting point for a discussion of current
capability levels across the enterprise and
key airline functions.
E-Enabled business Systems
Assessment
Boeing offers optional e-Enabled Business
Systems Assessment services to prepare for
the implementation of e-Enabled prod­ucts
and services. This e-Enabled assessment
follows an airline’s participation in the ACL
survey. When assessing an airline’s ability
to add e-Enabled capabilities to its opera­
tions, Boeing will cooperatively examine:
Business Enterprise Architecture:
n
The airline’s business structure and
business methods in support of using
e-Enabled systems.
Rationalization of Business Systems
n
to Information Technology Systems:
The airline’s methods and process to
transform its business systems to IT
systems requirements.
Information System: The airline’s ability
n them take advantage of the benefits offered
to provide the required information
systems to achieve optimal use and
performance of the e-Enabled products.
n Airline Risk: The airline’s ability to identify
and prepare a plan to resolve business
operational deficiencies and IT systems
interruptions.
During the e-Enabled assessment,
Boeing’s airline and IT subject matter
experts visit airline facilities to evaluate
the airline’s business methods, systems
integration, technical infrastructure, and
IT performance capabilities.
The goal of the assessment is for the
airline to gain an understanding of its current
business systems and IT systems capabili­
ties, as well as the actions necessary to
prepare for and improve e-Enabled product
usage. With this knowledge, the airline can
develop and implement a plan to resolve
any issues in order to take full advantage
of e-Enabled products and services.
Summary
Boeing offers an industrywide perspective
on integration of IT systems, supplemented
with proven methodologies, to assist
airlines with IT strategy and goals to help
by e-Enabled services.
For more information, please contact
Robert Rencher at robert.j.rencher@
boeing.com. 
21
 E-Enabled Capabilities
of the 787 Dreamliner
By Kevin Gosling,  Manager, 787 e-Enabling Implementation and Deployment

The 787 Dreamliner, the world’s first e-Enabled commercial airplane, combines the power
of integrated information and communications systems to drive operational efficiency,
enhance revenue, and streamline airplane maintenance.

The e-Enabled tools on the 787 will be a benefitS OF 787 E-ENABLED n It ensures compliance with new U.S.
dramatic change from any other commercial CAPABILITIES Federal Aviation Administration security
airplane previously operated (see fig. 1). requirements within heavily networked
Airlines benefit from the e-Enabling features
These tools promise to change the flow airplane environments.
of the 787 in a number of ways:
of information and create a new level of n It enables near real-time data trans­

situational awareness that airlines can use to
improve operations. At the same time, the
extensive e-Enabling on the 787 increases
the need for network connectivity, hardware
and software improvements, and systems
management practices (see fig. 2).
n E-Enabling eliminates time-consuming
and awkward physical software data-
loading via wireless data distribution and
medialess software loading.
n It provides flight operations and main­
tenance personnel with data in digital
formats to streamline the updating
actions both on- and off-board the
airplane and provides the ability to
access much of this data during flight
to enable airlines to make timelier,
informed maintenance and other
operational decisions.
n It allows airlines to easily customize

process, reduce errors, and eliminate many aspects of their airplanes to fit
the costs associated with shipping, their specific operations; for example,
handling, revising, and maintaining fuel can be displayed in pounds or
paper documents. kilograms.

22
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
Figure 1: 787 e-Enabling equipment locations
The 787 incorporates a number of e-Enabled
systems, many of which are being implemented
for the first time on a commercial airplane.

Wired Ethernet Ports Terminal Wireless Video Surveillance Electronic Flight

Flight Deck and Both EE Bays Local Area Network Unit (optional) Bag Displays

Crew Wireless Core Network Electronic Flight Bag Servers Graphics Printer
Local Area Network Units
(optional)

IMPROVED MAINTENANCE EFFICIENCY Airline engineers and maintenance training effectiveness

The e-Enabling equipment on the 787
will be highly integrated with the onboard
maintenance, data-load, and crew infor­ma­
tion systems, offering airlines opportunities
to reduce maintenance costs. Airlines have
the option to include a wireless network
for maintenance access, enabling airline
back-office teams to remotely deploy
software, parts, data, charts, and manuals
to airplanes with minimal hands-on
mechanic involvement.
planners will be able to directly receive
large data files from every airplane in the
fleet without having to send the mechanic
out to download or retrieve discs.
Also, maintenance laptops will save
airlines time and give them access to quality
information faster than in today’s environ­
ment. Mechanics will use these portable
computers to access onboard mainte­
nance data, initiate tests, and review
maintenance documents.
Because the 787 is e-Enabled, Boeing is
focused on providing training via the Web
portal MyBoeingFleet.com at the point of
use. Boeing is targeting a Web-managed,
distance-learning capability that brings
training to the trainee in a paperless training
environment.

23
WWW.boeing.com/co m m e rcia l / a e ro m a g a zine
 Figure 2: E-Enabled airplane systems
In order to prepare for the new 787 e-Enabled airborne systems, airlines will
set up interfacing e-Enabled systems on the ground with Boeing assistance.

Communications
n Terminal Wireless Local Area Network Unit (Basic)

n Crew Wireless Local Area Network Units (Optional)

n Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting

System (ACARS) and Very High Frequency (VHF) E-Enabled Systems

in the Air
Data Link Mode 2 (Basic)
n Provisions for Broadband Satellite Communications

Advanced Technology Flight Deck

n Fewer Line Replaceable Units
n More Software

n Upgradeable

n Configurable

Class 3 Electronic Flight Bag Applications (Basic)

n Electronic Logbook
n Onboard Performance Tool

n Electronic Document Browser

Video Surveillance (Optional)

Wireless Capabilities Equivalent Systems

n Wireless Software (Loadable Software Airplane Part) Staging on the Ground
n Wireless Downlinks (e.g., Engine Health Monitoring, Airplane

Condition Monitoring, Continuous Parameter Logging,

Configuration Management, etc.)
n Wireless Maintenance Access

Core Network (Basic)

Enhanced technical data for flight
training will include linkable features in
the flight crew operating manual and flight
crew training manual. The ground systems
also provide mechanics access to near
real-time mainte­nance information via
MyBoeingFleet.com, or cached locally
on a maintenance laptop.
ENTRY INTO SERVICE
Airlines interested in implementing full
utilization of the e-Enabled capabilities
should start the integration into their ground
operations centers about six to nine months
before entering service with new 787 air­
planes. Boeing will send a deploy­ment
team to the airline’s location to install, test,
and verify the e-Enabled environment;
provide assistance in connecting to a wired
or wireless system; demonstrate ground-
based systems; test wireless connections;
and review network security.
SUMMARY
The e-Enabled tools on board the 787
will provide flight crews, cabin crews, and
ground personnel with quicker access to
quality information. In order to prepare for
the new 787 e-Enabled airborne systems,
airlines will set up equivalent e-Enabled
systems on the ground with Boeing assis­
tance. The resulting e-Enabled airline will be
more capable of more efficient operations
and enhanced revenue.
For more information, please contact
Kevin Gosling at kevin.l.gosling@
boeing.com. 

24
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9
26
a er o q ua r t er ly    qt r_0 1 | 0 9